Your Right to Know

Considering the burden of uninsured hospital visits, the promise of thousands of new jobs and
the potential cost in penalties on employers, Medicaid expansion “should be a no-brainer,” Ohio
Senate Minority Leader Eric Kearney said.

“Politics has gotten in the way of good policy,” the Cincinnati Democrat said, joined by the
Cincinnati chamber of commerce and others who would be affected by a proposed expansion to cover
those making 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

Gov. John Kasich proposed the expansion in his two-year budget, but House Republicans stripped
it out, instead pledging to introduce an alternative option in the fall. Senate GOP leaders also
closed off any chance of dealing with it in the budget, instead saying they will work on a separate
Medicaid reform bill.

Sen. Shirley Smith, D-Cleveland, has introduced a separate bill that mirrors Kasich’s expansion
proposal, which would cover an estimated 275,000 people and bring $13 billion in federal money to
Ohio over seven years. Legislative Republicans have rejected the idea, citing a lack of clarity
from Washington and federal deficit spending.

“If we truly believe we are our brother’s keeper, there is no argument against it,” Smith
said.

Matt Davis, vice president of governmental affairs for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, said
he is concerned that without a Medicaid expansion, hospitals will pass on more uncompensated-care
costs, which will increase premiums.

He also said companies will incur penalties for failing to provide health insurance to employees
who otherwise would be covered by the expansion.

“The Affordable Care Act has provided both opportunities and challenges,” Davis said. “They’ve
given states difficult decisions to make, and sometimes those decisions take awhile to get to.”

Jamie Adams of Columbus said her son and husband got sick, and he did not have health insurance
through his work, so they were forced to pay out of pocket at a local Minute Clinic.

“That affected our ability to pay that month’s bills,” she said. “Getting health care would do
so much in our ability to remain stable and keep climbing. I’m going to school so I don’t have to
rely on this for the rest of my life.”